How Boulder's ‘Blue Envelope’ program aims to transform how people with disabilities interact with law enforcement

In The NOCO

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23d ago 9:14

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For many people, being stopped by police can produce a wave of anxiety. But that sense of stress and uncertainty is even worse for people with conditions like autism spectrum disorder, hearing loss, Tourette’s syndrome, or dementia.

Earlier this year, Boulder’s police department rolled out a new initiative called the Blue Envelope Program to help people with disabilities communicate when they encounter an officer.

It allows a person to get an official blue envelope and fill it out with information that an officer might need to know to communicate with them. Then if they’re stopped by an officer, they simply hand over the envelope.

Boulder was the first in Colorado to implement the program. Since then, law enforcement agencies in other communities have rolled out Blue Envelope programs, including Fort Collins Police, who launched theirs in July.

Alistair McNiven, Chief of Staff for Boulder Police, spoke with Erin O’Toole in February about the program and why he thinks the blue envelopes may be a transformative tool for law enforcement. We’re listening back to that conversation today.

McNiven said people can email [email protected] to request an envelope or get one in person at the front desk of the Boulder Police Department. Other communities may require people to pick up envelopes in person.

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Host and Producer: Erin O'Toole
Producer: Ariel Lavery
Executive Producer: Brad Turner
Theme music by Robbie Reverb
Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions
In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

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